Life is a tragedy full of joy
by ItsSpanner
Summary: RE-WRITE! Can Remus and Tonks's love survive the tragic events that could ultimately tear their worlds apart? With the Second Wizarding War in full scale and a baby on the way, who knows? Set during DH. Hope you all enjoy :)
1. Chapter 1 - What are mums for?

**Hi guys, I'm back! I'm so sorry it's been so long, please forgive me. This is a re-upload/re-write of my original Tonks and Remus Fanfic: 'The Journey of Tonks's Pregnancy', now retitled 'Life is a tragedy full of joy.' I was very unhappy with the old Fanfic and considering I wrote it when I was fourteen I'm sure you can understand why. I'm now seventeen so my writing has improved (or at least I hope it has haha).**

 **I really hope you like this new version. Reviews are appreciated as always and I hope you enjoy the read :) Anyway, on with the story...**

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Soft flakes floated swiftly down from the clear, blue sky above, glistening like millions of diamonds, as they formed a blanket of fluffy, white snow along the ground. The world outside reflected a muggle snow globe which had been wildly shaken by an excited, young child, cottages standing beside each other like miniature gingerbread houses. It was early December meaning Christmas was fast approaching and nobody was more excited than Nymphadora Tonks, who was currently in her second trimester of pregnancy, for she simply adored Christmas. She peered down at her slightly swollen abdomen, a somewhat sad smile gracing her face as she whispered, "I wish your daddy was here, I miss him terribly." Tonks had found talking softly to the baby greatly calmed her, bringing about a very soothing atmosphere. She rubbed gentle circles on her small bump and let out a soft sigh, "He'll be home soon hopefully, and at least then I can be certain he's safe." She inhaled slowly on their bed, absorbing the comforting scent of sweet chocolate and fresh parchment Remus always smelt of. The corners of her lips tugged upwards forming a smile as she thought about all the times they were going to have together as a family. Her, Remus and their beautiful baby. Yet that didn't stop a small tear from escaping and trailing down her pale cheek as she remembered the violent and dangerous Wizarding war which was occurring beyond their small cottage, terrified of the outcome and terrified for the life their child may have to live if Harry Potter failed in defeating Voldemort. Tonks felt slighting guilty for putting so much pressure on the trio - Harry, Ron, and Hermione - but she was desperate, as any expectant mother would be.

Andromeda Tonks, Dora's mother, was currently staying over at the small but cosy cottage which Remus and Tonks shared together, whilst her husband, Ted Tonks, stayed at home to hold the fort. It was a miracle her father had lasted so long and knew, with a pound of dread, that he would soon have to go on the run before the Ministry of Magic realised Ted had failed to turn up for questioning about his blood status. Her mother, Andromeda, was very beautiful, her brunette hair spilling down around her shoulders in soft waves, adorning her pale complexion. Her dark eyes held warmth, her lips a cherry red matching her rosy cheeks. In essence, one might say she looked like her elder sister, Bellatrix, but he features told otherwise if you looked closely enough. Andromeda was taking care of her only daughter, whilst Remus was away, busy persuading the werewolves underground to join their side in the war. Since the late Albus Dumbledore had sadly passed away, Remus felt as though it was his duty to continue persuading the werewolves, determined to make his late mentor proud. Tonks insisted that he had already succeeded in doing that, but Remus still continued to go underground, plus he argued that the more people that were on their side the better. She had reluctantly agreed but that didn't prevent her from constantly worrying about the safety of her husband.

Her mother arrived at the bedroom door, knocking it gently, "Nymphadora love, can I come in for a second please?"

Tonks quickly wiped away the stray tear on her cheek with the back of her hand, whilst blinking away the wetness in her eyes and grimacing at the sound of her given name which she very much hated.

"Yeah, come in," she replied.

Her mother came in and Tonks knew her mother had immediately seen the solemn look upon her heart shaped face. She also noticed that her mother had let out a quiet sigh as she walked towards her and sat down on the edge of the bed, wrapping a comforting arm around her.

"Don't worry love, I'm sure Remus is fine. He does know what he is doing sweetheart and he'll be home before you know it. Try not to stress yourself out too much, it's not good for the baby," her mother spoke softly.

Tonks adored how supportive her mother had been during Remus's absence and she appreciated it greatly. She really couldn't have asked for a better mother.

"I'll try not to mum," she responded with a small smile.

"That's my girl," her mother chuckled softly as Tonks felt her mother's hands gliding reassuringly through her shoulder length, trademark, bubble-gum pink hair.

"Now, is there anything I can get you love?" Andromeda questioned, changing to a more cheerful tone which Tonks recognised was an attempt to raise her spirits.

"A nice, warm cup of tea would be nice please mum, maybe with some ginger newts on the side?" Tonks grinned, thinking of her former Transfiguration Professor, Minerva McGonagall, who she knew also had a fondness for the treats.

"Of course, dear," and with that, her mother left the bedroom, shutting the door with a faint click on the way out.

Tonks lay back against the headboard of the bed she and Remus shared, thinking to herself. She allowed her mind to wander and explore into a deep and welcoming daydream. She began thinking about how when Remus returned home they could start decorating the nursery for their upcoming arrival. They had decided to paint the nursery a soft, pale yellow due to them wanting the sex of their baby to be kept a surprise. Tonks was currently twenty weeks pregnant and was beginning to show, her stomach a perfect, round shape. Moments later, after escaping into her wonderful daydream, her mother returned with a steaming cup of tea and a plate of ginger newts.

She placed the biscuits and cup of tea on the side table, allowing it to cool down first, watching the scolding steam rising into the air before slowly evaporating.

"Thanks, mum."

"No worries dear, what do you think I'm here for?"

Tonks laughed lightly then hesitated..."Mum, do you think I will be a good mother?"

Andromeda smiled at her daughter as she once again returned to sit beside Tonks, reaching across and placing a hand upon her bump. "There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a billion ways to be a good one and I have complete faith in you darling, you and Remus will be wonderful parents." She rubbed her hand back and forth over the bump as though she believed this would offer reassurance to her daughter.

Tonks returned the smiled, "Thanks, mum. I love you" she replied whilst dunking a ginger newt into her cup of tea, her mother's hand now back in her own lap.

Andromeda bent over and pressed a light kiss against her forehead, "I love you too, darling," and with that, she left the room once more.


	2. Chapter 2 - I miss him

Two quiet, lonely weeks had passed by and yet there was still no sign of Remus. It would be an understatement to say Tonks was worried, however, she attempted to distract herself as she lay back on the sofa reading an issue of the Quibbler, frequently edited and published by Xenophilius Lovegood, to try to relax her mind a bit. Usually, Xenophilius Lovegood came across as a bit bonkers, with his crazy research and findings, such as wrackspurts which his daughter, Luna, often spoke about when she was at Hogwarts, but nowadays the Quibbler was the only source of media that made any sense and actually spoke the truth about what was going on in the Wizarding World.

It had been a constant battle recently to try to get any form of sleep due to Tonks's underlying fear and worry, thus resulting in her eyes being very red and sore. Despite reading the Quibbler, she actually began to feel her eyelids droop and her grip on this week's issue slacken, before it dropped to the floor with a soft thud, as her body finally succumbed to a well-needed and well-deserved rest. Her hand had instinctively wrapped protectively around her small bump, a habit which she had adopted the past couple of months. The last thing Tonks remembered was looking through a blurry vision of her mother pulling a warm and snugly blanket over her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and leaving a kiss on her temple, as her eyes eventually closed and she drifted off into a peaceful and welcoming sleep...

 _"So what is this place?" Tonks questioned Mad-Eye curiously._

 _"Shush Nymphadora! Are you trying to expose us? Patience!" Mad-Eye angrily replied as they walked towards the entrance of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She had just recently joined the Order of the Phoenix and was about to engage in her first Order meeting, so Tonks found herself slightly nervous._

 _Tonks's hair flamed a dangerous, fiery red, just like it did every other time someone called her by her given name, Nymphadora. "Don't. Call. Me. Nymphadora!" she bit the words out, before pulling a face at him from behind in annoyance._

 _Mad-Eye abruptly stopped and turned around, his left eyebrow quirked upwards. "Do you think I can't see you pull a face at me? Now are you 23 years old or 5 years old?"_

 _Tonks's cheeks immediately flushed as she momentarily forgot about Moody's magical eye. "23" she mumbled, feeling as though she was back in school and Professor McGonagall was sternly reprimanding her._

 _"Then start acting like it. Christ sakes, you're about to going into an Order meeting."_

 _Before Tonks had even had a chance to retort, Mad-Eye had reached the front door, opening it as it lead them down into a very dark, eerie and narrow hallway. However, before Tonks could even grow accustomed to her new surroundings, she found her face directly opposite the dusty floor, making her wheeze slightly, the dust catching in the back of her throat, as a woman let out a blood-curdling scream, "FILTH! SCUM! BY-PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND VILENESS! HALF-BREEDS, MUTANTS, FREAKS, BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS-"_

 _The sound of the woman's screeching voice stopped abruptly and Tonks, who was still faced down on the floor, turned her head to find a masculine hand outstretched to her. Tonks gratefully accepted and was pulled up to find herself in a sea of golden haze. She found herself completely mesmerised, for she had never seen a colour so beautiful, but was soon pulled out of her trance at the sound of a man clearing his throat._

 _"Are you okay?" the man asked._

 _Tonks felt a creeping sensation as her skin turned bright red from the neck up. She was beyond embarrassed. She had barely made it through the front door and she had already made a fool of herself._ Typical _. How was she meant to be a part of the Order if she couldn't even make it down a simple hallway?_

 _"Er...yes, I'm fine thanks, just tripped over that stupid umbrella stand over there."_

 _The man chuckled, "Well try not to make a habit of it unless you like listening to Mrs Black regularly? However, I'm sure you'll soon realise you don't. She isn't a very pleasant woman."_

 _"Mrs Black?" Tonks questioned._

 _"My mother or great-aunt as she is to you," a man, with shoulder length wavy, black hair, voiced from the side of her, standing in the doorway._

 _"Sirius," she breathed. She couldn't quite believe that he was standing there beside her. The last time she had seen her cousin she was only nine years old, meaning she had very few memories of him._

 _"In the flesh," Sirius grinned as he embraced her into a tight hug. After a minute or so they pulled back and Sirius looked over at Remus, "So, it seems as though you've already met my dear cousin Moony?"_

 _"It appears that I have," Remus smiled, "Forgive me, I'm Remus Lupin, best friend to this prat."_

 _"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed mock offended as a cheeky grin stretched across his handsome face._

 _Remus and Tonks both ignored him as Tonks introduced herself._

 _"Nymphadora Tonks, though you can just call me Tonks."_

 _Remus nodded, "Very well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Tonks." She blushed as she drank in his attractive appearance. He had sandy, brown hair which was supported by a few flecks of grey here and there. He had glowing and intense yet soulful, amber eyes that left you breathless. Tonks noticed he had a long scar running from the left side of his forehead, down and across his face to the right side of his chin. He also had another one under his left eye that ran along his cheek, yet these scars made him look all the more sexy in Tonks's opinion._

 _Remus drew back his lips and smiled at her, he seemed to have noticed that she was staring at him, which just made her cheeks flame even more. Sirius cleared his throat and smirked knowingly, "Shall we carry on through to the kitchen so we can begin the meeting?"_

 _Tonks just nodded soundlessly, still unable to talk from sheer embarrassment, whilst Remus replied, "Sounds like a great idea Padfoot."_

Tonks felt herself being gently shaken awake by a hand but realised it was rather too big and masculine for it to be her mother's. She slowly opened her eyes and waited for them to adjust to the dim light, cast by the crackling fire beside her. Finally, she stared up into golden, amber eyes which she had been dreaming about only moments before. As soon as their eyes connected, Tonks chewed her bottom lip as she felt tears brimming. Her tears began rolling down her face and dropped off her trembling chin as Remus, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa, pulled her lovingly into his arms, "Shh, it's okay, I'm here now." He rubbed his comforting hand up and down her back as she whispered, "I dreamt about Sirius, he was there in my dream and I saw him so clearly...it felt so real." She paused, "... I miss him so much, Remus." He continued to rub his hand up and down before pulling back. He smiled sadly as his thumbs lightly brushed beneath her eyes, wiping away her tears. "I know you do, I miss him too."

Tonks had never quite forgiven herself for her cousin's death. She'd always believed that if she had not been knocked out during her duel with her Aunt Bellatrix, who she very much despised, then Sirius would still be alive. The first two weeks following his painful death Tonks had refused to eat, sleep, drink or pretty much do just about anything. In time, though, however, Remus made her see that she was not to blame and that Sirius had died whilst trying to protect Harry, the way he would have wanted to die. There was another moment's silence until it was broken by Tonks, "You're back?"

"I'm back," and before Remus could even process what was happening, he felt her lips crash against his hungrily as though they had been apart for years. Remus responded just as passionately as their lips moulded together creating electricity. He had deeply missed her. They eventually broke apart, albeit slightly out of breath and they leant their foreheads against each other. "I love you so much Remus" Tonks breathed. "I love you too, more than you will ever know."


	3. Chapter 3 - Painful Memories

Shadows danced on the wall, cast by the bright, orange flames burning brightly in the large, open grate. The wooden logs emitted sounds of both crackling and popping as they slowly melted away into ashes. Oak panelling lined the walls as bookcases stood erect, almost over spilling with books, both old and new. A plush, fluffy rug stretched across the dark, wooden flooring in the centre of the room, adding character and style. Remus and Tonks were in their small library, located in one of the back rooms of their small yet cosy cottage. Remus was sitting at one end of the soft, fabricated sofa which was a rich, velvety, red, as Tonks lay down at the other end, her feet resting upon Remus's lap.

Andromeda had returned home, now that Remus was back. Tonks really missed her, but she couldn't help but be thankful that she and Remus were now alone so they could spend some time together. Since they had got married, they hadn't been able to properly settle down due to him leaving her for a short out of fear, then was away underground afterwards. Not to mention that Tonks had also been fired from the Auror office due to her marriage to Remus, but now they found they had all the time in the world. Remus felt terrible for losing Tonks her job, but Tonks promised him that she would rather spend her life as Mrs Lupin where she could be a loving wife, than as Miss Tonks who was just an Auror, lonely without a family to call her own.

Remus, as usual, was reading a book, however, she noticed it wasn't one of his usual thick, leather-bound books but was actually a children's book: The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Since Hermione had obtained this book from Dumbledore's will, it had reminded Remus of it, as his mother had read it to him when he was a small child after being introduced to it by her wizard husband. Due to this, Remus had decided to go and buy it so he could read it to his own son or daughter once they were old enough.

"You're reading a children's book?" Tonks grinned.

Remus stopped reading and looked up, peering over at her. He smiled, "It seems that I am, I thought we could read it to our child once they are old enough. It was a book my mother read to me when I myself was a child."

Tonks's heart melted at the thought. How was she so lucky to find someone who was so sweet and thoughtful?

"That's such a beautiful idea, Remus."

"I do try," Remus chuckled.

There was a moment's silence. Remus mentioning his childhood was something he rarely did, in fact, Tonks knew virtually nothing about it.

"It was Fenir Greyback wasn't it?" Tonks questioned quietly.

Remus sighed and closed his book. He had been waiting for this moment for he knew that it was coming. He decided to take the easy route and simply answered, "Yes," not deciding to go any further. Talking about his childhood was painful and he tried to avoid the topic as much as he could. However, when Tonks didn't respond and only stared sadly at him he decided to continue, feeling he trusted Tonks enough to open up to her. She was his wife and the mother of his child after all.

"As you know I was born on March 10th 1960 to Hope and Lyall Lupin. I loved my mother dearly and she was very special to me, but my relationship with my dad became strained as I grew older."

Tonks pulled herself up into a more comfortable position on the sofa, now fully aware that Remus was about to finally tell her about his childhood after so many years of silence.

"My father, Lyall Lupin, was a world-renowned expert on Non-human Spirituous Apparitions, such as boggarts and poltergeists. One time, he went on an expedition to a remote forest located in Wales in order to investigate reports of a very violent and vicious boggart."

Remus shifted on the sofa to get more comfortable before continuing, "Whilst in the forest he heard a woman let out an ear-splitting scream, so he rushed to her aid and banished the boggart."

"Can you guess who the woman was?"

"Your mother?" Tonks smiled.

"Indeed," Remus nodded, "My mother, Hope Howell, was a muggle who worked for an insurance company in Cardiff. Once my father had got rid of the boggart he escorted her home so he could ensure her safety."

"That was sweet of him" Tonks commented.

Remus just smiled, "After their encounter in the forest they continued to see each other and they soon found themselves in love. Three months following the incident in the forest my father admitted to my mother that the boggart never actually posed any real threat to her, but this didn't diminish any of the fondness she had for him."

"Much like how your 'too old, too poor, to dangerous' excuse didn't lessen the love I felt for you" Tonks found herself interrupting but smiling nonetheless.

Remus stared at her for a second, unimpressed at the interruption, but then found himself smirking at her, "So you've proved. Took me long enough to see it."

"Better late than never," Tonks remarked causing them to chuckle.

"Anyway, not longer after, my father plucked up the courage to propose to her, and was over the moon when she said yes. They married in early 1959 and a year later they had me."

Remus paused and placed his hand on Tonks's expanding bump, thinking about how he and Tonks were about to become parents themselves.

"By the mid-1960's, You-Know-Who's power was beginning to grow, and his followers began recruiting a wide variety of Dark creatures to further his cause. So they could gain a better understanding of this threat, the Ministry of Magic wanted an expert on Dark creatures and so asked my father to join the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures which he happily accepted."

Remus rubbed his hand back and forth over her bump, as though this soothed him whilst talking about his parent's pasts.

"One day in early 1965, following the deaths of two muggle children, Fenir Greyback was brought in for questioning at the Ministry of Magic. As you know, Greyback was and still is a werewolf, but because the Werewolf Registry wasn't maintained very well, the Ministry was clueless of this fact."

"So the Ministry had no idea? That's terrible on their behalf" Tonks commented, her hand now rested upon Remus's which was still on her bump.

"I know," Remus agreed, "Greyback insisted that he was a muggle tramp and all the members of the questioning committee bought this story, apart from my father who recognised the characteristics of lycanthropy in Greyback's behaviour and appearance."

"Was the questioning committee really that gullible and stupid?" Tonks asked, shocked.

Remus nodded, "My father suggested that Greyback should be detained until the next full moon which was only twenty-four hours away, but the other committee members laughed at him saying he was being ridiculous. Unfortunately, my father lost his temper and he declared all werewolves to be 'soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death.'"

Tonks audibly gasped as she raised her hand to her mouth, "He actually said that?"

"Yes, but you've got to remember that he was angry, a fact that I ignored when I first found out."

Tonks just stared at him, nodding, trying to understand. "Greyback was extremely angry and set out to revenge my father for his insulting remark. Shortly before my fifth birthday, Greyback forced my bedroom window open and attacked me. My father reached me in time before Greyback could kill me, casting powerful curses at him, but I was left bitten and a fully-fledged werewolf," Remus's voice broke off. By this time Tonks was silently crying as she reached over to him, burying her face in his neck. She found the bite mark which Greyback had left, just above his shoulder and gently kissed it, showing Remus that him being a werewolf made him no less human. She pulled back and ran her hand through his hair as she looked into his face, "Thank you" she whispered, "For telling me, I know how hard it is for you to talk about it." "I trust you Dora and I love you" Remus replied as he leant in to softly kiss her lips. "So that's why your relationship with your father became strained?" "Yes, I used to blame him. I used to believe that if he had just kept his temper in check then none of it would have happened, but in recent years I've come to realise that he lost his temper because he just wanted to protect others out there from Greyback and his deadly bite." Tonks sighed sadly at the tragic story, then relaxed against Remus's body, "But you forgive him now?" Remus paused but only for a second, "Yes, I forgive him," and the scars of hate and resentment Remus felt for his father finally healed.


	4. Chapter 4 - Baubles and mince pies

A tree stood tall in the corner of the sitting room, embellished with red and golden baubles, a dazzling star shining on top. Luminous lights, which were twisted around the branches, flashed brightly, lighting up the room. Gold tinsel draped from the mantlepiece above the crackling fire, which had two cherry red stockings hanging from either side it. A medium sized statue of Santa Claus stood by the side of the fire which had been charmed to dance merrily to a Christmas Carol. The sweet aroma of mince pies filled the cottage as presents, concealed in colourful wrapping paper, crowded the bottom of the Christmas tree. It was Remus and Tonks's first Christmas together as husband and wife and they intended it to be special.

Remus sat waiting in the living room, whilst two steaming mugs of creamy hot chocolate, waiting to be drunk, were resting on the coffee table. Tonks entered the room a second later, wrapped in her fluffy, pink dressing gown which matched her hair magnificently, and grinned over at her husband. She went and sat down next to him, as he leant in to place a soft kiss on her lips. It wasn't hungry or powerful but rather a gentle and loving kiss, perfect for a Christmas morning.

It had been a week since Remus had spoken about his childhood, and the topic hadn't been spoken about since. They hadn't been given the chance to as they had been occupied with visiting Tonks's parents the day following their chat and they had gone to the Burrow yesterday to wish the Weasley's a Merry Christmas. The days in between that were spent wrapping presents and baking cakes, well _Remus_ baking a cake considering Tonks wasn't exactly the best cook in the world. Today, however, was about them, a time for them to be happy together, a time for them to be alone, and a time to enjoy each other's company.

"Merry Christmas Dora" Remus smiled at his wife.

"Merry Christmas Remus." She shifted her position so she was half lying down, her head resting on Remus's shoulder, with his arm wrapped around her. He kissed the top of her trademark bubblegum pink hair, as his hand settled on her ever expanding belly.

"Merry Christmas to you too little one," Remus spoke cheerfully.

Both Remus and Tonks got a response which neither of them was expecting as their baby kicked for the first time, causing them both to jump.

"Oh my, d-did the baby just-"

"Kick?" Tonks finished astonished.

"Yes!" She laughed, "Wow, that was the strangest yet most amazing feeling I've ever felt."

Remus kept his hand where it was on her bump and rubbed it back and forth, hoping for another kick. They waited a few moments and just as they hoped another kick came, surprising them as much as it did the first time round. Tonks didn't remember ever feeling this happy, except perhaps the day she married Remus. There wasn't another kick after that, but they were thankful for the two kicks that they had got: one for Remus and one for Tonks. They concluded it was their baby's way of wishing them a Merry Christmas, making them both smile from ear to ear.

Tonks and Remus sat in a comfortable silence as they both drank their steaming hot chocolates, their insides warming instantly. Remus offered her a mince pie but she happily declined, so he bit into one himself instead, sighing contently as the marvellous taste touched his tongue. Once he finished, he grinned over at Tonks, "Ready to open the presents?"

"Yes! I thought you'd never ask" Tonks immediately responded causing Remus to laugh merrily.

Remus leant forward under the Christmas tree and scooped up the first present, then passed it to Tonks who read the Christmas tag out loud, "Dear Remus and Tonks, wishing you both a very Merry Christmas that's full of festive cheer and joy. Hope you like the presents we got you, lots of love from the Weasley's xxx P. S I hope the present comes in as handy as it once did for me – Molly."

Puzzled, Tonks looked over to Remus whose expression mirrored hers exactly. Eagerness overtaking her, Tonks tore off the wrapping paper excitedly to find a fairly thick book called Magical Beginnings: A Witch's Pregnancy guide. Tonks laughed as her fingertips skimmed over the cover, "She's right, this will come in handy." She held the book up to Remus are he read the title, as he also broke out into a grin. "Magical Beginnings: A Witch's pregnancy guide," he read aloud, "I'm sure Molly knew that book off by heart by the time she reached her sixth pregnancy with Ginny. What a thoughtful present."

Tonks opened it, careful to not break the spine, as she silently flicked through the pages until she reached a specific chapter and began chuckling. "There's a chapter in here called 'Wizards:How to survive fatherhood'," Tonks announced, "Do you think you're ready for it?" Tonks winked.

"I'm ready for anything Dora," a hint of cockiness in his voice, but grinning all the same.

Tonks rolled her eyes, "You Mauraders, you don't change do you?"

"Not a chance" Remus smirked, closing the book and putting it aside as he noticed the other items in the parcel that Tonks had opened from the Weasley's, which included a small basket of cauldron cakes and two knitted jumpers: one inscribed with 'R' for Remus and one inscribed with 'D' for Dora. Remus and Tonks couldn't help but laugh. Usually, Molly only knitted jumpers for the children, but it seemed this year she was pushing the boat out.

Half an hour later, they had finished opening up all the presents. They had received a skiving snack box from the Weasley Twins, two huge slabs of honeydukes chocolate from Bill and Fleur, a sneakoscope from Kingsley and lastly some rock cakes from Hagrid. Off Tonks, Remus had received some owl bookmarks so he didn't have the keep folding the corners of his book pages, a Gryffindor mug which made him smile, some new slippers, a brand new set of quills and lastly a new cardigan as his others were looking slightly shabby. In return off Remus, Tonks had received a Dream Journal as he knew Tonks dreamed a lot, a Weird Sisters top which was yellow and black, the colours which represented her Hogwarts house, Hufflepuff, as well as the Weird Sisters biography, some chocolate frogs as he knew she had been craving them and finally, though it was not specifically for Tonks, a baby grow that read 'Me and Daddy love Mummy,' which had caused her eyes to well up with tears.

It was almost time for dinner, and Tonks, who was happily reading the book Molly had given her, had left Remus to it in the kitchen as she knew she would just get in the way and probably knock everything over. Sometimes she really wished she wasn't such a klutz because it meant she was actually useless when she was trying to be helpful. She had cast several protective charms around her stomach as a percussion in case she fell over, which luckily she hadn't so far.

Eventually, Remus called her through to the dining room where they sat down opposite each other. Tonks gazed down at her plate which was filled with turkey, stuffing, mash and Yorkshire puddings along with all the trimmings. "Wow! This looks absolutely incredible Remus, thank you."

"It was my pleasure, Dora."

They began to dig into their Christmas dinner which they both found absolutely delightful. Tonks considered this to be one of the best Christmas dinner's she had ever tasted and it was all down to her wonderful husband's cooking. "This is absolutely delicious Remus."

"I'm glad you think so. Just think, this time next year there will be three of us."

"I know, I honestly can't wait," Tonks grinned at Remus.

It was their first Christmas together and Tonks could think of only one word to describe it. _Perfect._


	5. Chapter 5 - Too many hippogriff's?

**I'm not even going to bother making excuses as to why I haven't posted in so long. All I'm going to say is that I am currently in Sixth Form studying for my A-Levels, and anybody who does A-Levels will understand how difficult they are and how much extra work they require. Basically, I am trying to say that you shouldn't expect a regular updating pattern because who knows with A-Levels? I do hope you can forgive me, and I promise I will try harder to update more often.**

 **A/N: I understand that the Ambush at Xenophilius Lovegood's house occurred on the 30th December 1997, but for the sake of this story, it happens early 1998. Anyway, on with the next chapter...**

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Distorted shapes formed in the bitter, cold January air each time Tonks and Remus exhaled as they slowly paced down a quiet street in Muggle London, which was quite unusual, to say the least. The once crowded city, or better yet Capital of Great Britain was much quieter nowadays. Since the current Muggle Prime Minister had learnt of the great threat Voldemort posed to both Muggles and Witches and Wizards, he had put London on alert as well as putting in place a curfew, despite the fact this would have absolutely no effect. If Voldemort wanted to get to you, then he would. There was no stopping him.

Everything had changed.

Tonks linked her arms through Remus's, her gloved hands clutching at his brown, tweed jacket. It was best not to stand out in their eccentric wizard robes, so Remus and Tonks had found some suitable Muggle clothing to wear to ensure that they would easily blend in with the crowd, or lack thereof. Remus practically wore his usual get-up of shabby clothing, minor his cloak instead opting for his faded, tweed jacket, whilst Tonks was concealed by her jet black jeans, a Weird Sisters jumper, a black duffle coat which hugged her bump and ankle high, leather boots. It felt highly unnatural to Tonks for her to be covered completely in black, as she usually at least wore a bright, coloured top to add a splash of colour to her outfit. Her clothing made her feel as though the world was mocking her for being a descendant of the Blacks, most of them Slytherin, pureblood maniacs and power hungry. Tonks couldn't be less of a Black if she tried for she was a former Hufflepuff and a Half-Blood, but Black blood still ran through her veins nonetheless. Her mother, Sirius and herself were the only sane ones. They weren't corrupted by the Darks Arts.

The pink hair had also gone. It was important that she looked as much of a Muggle as humanly possibly so she did something that she barely ever did. She morphed into her natural form. It was astounding really how much she resembled her mother with her shoulder length, brunette hair and her pale, heart-shaped face. It was true that her hair looked mousy and limp when depressed, but her natural form was very different when she was content, for her mousy hair transformed into silky, luscious locks that had an element of waviness to them.

These were dangerous times.

Not only was Voldemort more powerful than ever with great numbers at his side, including his loyal Death Eaters, giants and the dementors which had once guarded the wizard prison, Azkaban, Tonks was now also virtually shunned from most of the Wizarding community due to her marriage to Remus. However, she didn't let this phase her, she just ensured that she no longer stuck out like a sore thumb when out in public. In fact, Tonks had never felt happier. She was happily married to the man she loved and lived with him in their small, yet cosy cottage, not to mention that she was 24 weeks pregnant and was carrying their first born.

They were currently out for the day shopping for furniture to put in their baby's nursery. Apparently, according to Andromeda, there was shop not far from the heart of London called 'Magical Mother and Baby Care' which was exactly like St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries which appeared as a department store to Muggle's passing by. Whilst 'Magical Mother and Baby Care' was a pregnancy and baby store, it had the exterior design of a dilapidated, worn down, two storey toy shop. Tonks had questioned her mother as to why it was so randomly placed in London, but her mother simply responded that there was nowhere else to put it. Diagonally Alley was mainly directed at shops for those still in school and Hogsmeade wasn't big enough to accommodate it. Surprisingly, this was actually a very well known shop amongst Wizarding families that were expecting, so Tonks was dumbfounded to have never heard of it, however, she had never had reason to before.

They both arrived at the entrance where a Lego statue stood out front, a big smile painted on his face, and Tonks was forced to remind herself that this was supposedly an old toy shop. Andromeda had informed Remus and Tonks that in order to enter you just needed to shake the Lego statue's hand and he would step aside. Of course, to Muggles they would believe this to be an animatronic or robotic trick. Remus stuck out his hand to the Lego statue and gently shook it, leading it to announce, "Welcome to Magical Mother and Baby Care. Please enter", before taking a step to the right revealing a glass door which Remus and Tonks happily stepped through.

They found themselves in a small, wooden panelled hallway with a set of stairs at the other end which Remus and Tonks proceeded to walk up. It came as no surprise to find that it was practically empty. They were at war. It wasn't exactly an appropriate time to be having children. Nevertheless, they were in this predicament and had come to accept the fact that it had happened and that there was nothing they could do to alter their situation. Abortion just wasn't an option.

It was unbelievable to Remus and Tonks how many furniture items there were. Their main priority was a cot so they walked over to the section where they were on display. They had recently had a discussion about the nursery and had decided to no longer have it a pale yellow. Instead, they had decided on a light, soft grey and white hippogriff theme, in remembrance of Sirius. Whilst Sirius was cooped up inside Number 12 Grimmauld Place, he had found a friend in Buckbeak, the hippogriff which had once belonged to Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.

Tonks's eyes welled with tears as she spotted a white wooden cot that ironically had hippogriff heads engraved into the wood. It was though it was meant to be. The cot immediately made her think of her late cousin and how much she still missed him.

"Oh Remus, it's perfect," she breathed.

"Indeed. It certainly has an element of Sirius to it. I can practically hear him cheering us on to buy it for our child," Remus smiled.

They were amazed at how fast they were able to pick out all the furniture for the nursery. They had settled on the white, hippogriff cot, which had a matching changing table, chest of drawers and wardrobe as well as soft, grey curtains and a night-light that illuminated hippogriff's dancing along the walls. It was hilarious the amount of varied polyester, stuffed hippogriff's they had purchased. Lastly, they decided on a round, light grey and white, striped rug to place in the centre of the nursery in order to add an element of warmth.

Once they had purchased all their items, Remus transfigured them all into a smaller size, placing them in a medium sized cardboard box which he could easily carry, then walked over to a fireplace with Tonks which had conveniently been placed at the back of the shop. He allowed Tonks to go first, watching her as she was engulfed by neon, green flames as she called out "Lupin Residence." Remus immediately followed after her.

It was later in the evening and Remus and Tonks found themselves at the Burrow as Molly and Arthur had invited them over for dinner. It was refreshing to see friendly faces as the last time they had seen them had been Christmas four weeks ago. Whilst the Order had remained an underground resistance, it was difficult to meet up on a regular basis. They mainly used Potterwatch now, a radio station which informed the Wizarding world on what was happening.

Whilst it was nice to see friendly faces Remus and Tonks had never seen Molly and Arthur look so sombre. They knew that they were worried about the trio, especially Ron who was, of course, their youngest son. They were too, though Remus hadn't really mentioned the trio since their last encounter at Grimmauld Place. He was still too ashamed. Molly placed a mouth-watering stew in front of them all and sat down at the table, tucking into her own dinner.

Tonks was first to break the silence, "Your cooking skills never cease to amaze me, Molly."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Molly's face, "Thank you, dear. Actually, stew was a meal I regularly craved when I was pregnant with the twins." Once the sentence had escaped her lips she immediately resumed her sombre look. Molly was still struggling to come to terms with the fact that her son, George, had lost his ear during the Battle of the Seven Potters. Of course, she knew how dangerous it was going to be, but reality hit home when she saw the blood gushing from the gaping hole on the left side of George's head.

Remus chuckled, "I've come to the conclusion that Dora here has a huge craving for ginger newts."

This immediately broke Molly out of her melancholy state as a thought struck her mind, "Really? I craved those when I was pregnant with Ginny. Maybe this means your having a girl! What do you reckon Arthur?"

For the first time since they had arrived Arthur laughed at Molly's sudden excitement, "Molly dear, I'm sure it's just a coincidence, although who knows?"

Remus and Tonks both grinned. "It's funny you should say that, even though we would be equally delighted to have a girl, Remus and I are secretly hoping for a boy."

"Arthur and I love all our boys, but we were so happy when Ginny turned out to be a girl. We had always longed for a baby girl so when our wish came true we couldn't have been happier."

"I'm not surprised, six boys is a lot to handle," Remus laughed.

"Hear, hear" Arthur chuckled.

They continued to eat, laugh and talk for the next two hours, thankfully creating a lighter and happier atmosphere. A flicker of sadness would flash across Molly and Arthur's face each time Ron's name cropped up in the conversation, but Tonks promised that they would see Ron before they knew it, safe and happy. Little did they know that Ron, along with Harry and Hermione were currently being ambushed by Death Eaters at Xenophilius Lovegood's house.


End file.
